Literacy - Reading Specialist Certification

Overview

The program offers both a theoretical and applied approach to working with students' literacy problems in the classroom. Candidates learn to assess reading difficulties, implement appropriate literacy instructions, and use data-driven instruction to plan school-wide literacy programs.

Learning outcomes

Students enrolled in the Literacy - Reading Specialist Certification at Robert Morris University take 27 credits to meet the competencies for K-12 reading specialist certification in Pennsylvania. Unlike other programs, students take a course in structured literacy and an optional structured literacy practicum. Students interested in earning a master's in literacy are then required to take nine additional credits to complete the program (36 credits required for master's degree with an additional one credit option).

Full tuition scholarships are available for the structured literacy standalone course and/or the practicum. Students enrolled in the reading specialist program and local teachers take the course each year. Once students complete this course, they are then given the option to add a practicum so candidates can apply the skill set learned in the classroom. Both the course and optional practicum are aligned with the International Dyslexia Association's Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.   

Scholarships up to 50% off of tuition as well as graduate assistantships are now available. The Reading Specialist program is a one-year certification program that meets the needs of working adults. Classes are offered in the evenings in eight-week sessions with an on-campus practicum. Students can pursue a Master’s in Literacy with an additional nine credits.